Compartmentalized container cap

ABSTRACT

A compartment cap for use with a container, a container assembly, and a method for mixing at least two substances is disclosed. The compartment cap keeps one of the substances separated from the other substance until a user so desires to mix the at least two substances together, either entirely or in partial amounts. The compartment cap is designed such that it removably couples with the container. A top cap is further included that is capable of coupling to both the compartment cap and the container so that the compartment cap can be discarded when it is no longer keeping the retained substance separate from the container.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/705,214, filed Jun. 16, 2020, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bottle caps and, more particularly, to a compartmentalized container cap for separating two elements in a single container.

Elements (e.g., a powder and/or liquid) are often times mixed together to create a compound/combination of the disparate elements. Some federal regulations forbid the mixing of ingredients into food or beverages to be sold in a single container (e.g., a bottle). Furthermore, mixing of active ingredients, prior to their actual use and consumption, can cause the loss of nutrients, taste, and overall enjoyment of the intended product.

Conventional container caps do not allow for the complete amount of the contents to be released from the cap to the connected/anchoring bottle. These conventional caps also do not allow the consumer to sample the separated ingredients before dispensing them or control the amount to be dispensed into the anchored container. Conventional caps with separated compartments do not work efficiently because they do not allow for the complete amount of ingredients to be dispensed.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved container cap for separating two elements in one container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a compartment cap for use with a container comprises: a main body including an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a bottom portion, the main body defining a cavity configured to receive a first substance, the upper portion comprising external threading and configured to removably couple to a top cap, and the intermediate portion comprising internal threading and configured to removably couple to the container.

In another aspect of the present invention, a container assembly for mixing a first substance and a second substance comprises: a container configured to receive the second substance; a top cap comprising internal threading; and a compartment cap comprising: a main body including an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a bottom portion, the main body defining a cavity configured to receive the first substance, the upper portion comprising external threading and removably coupled to the top cap, and the intermediate portion comprising internal threading and removably coupled to the container.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of mixing a first substance and a second substance, the method comprising the steps of: providing a container; providing a top cap comprising internal threading; providing a compartment cap comprising: a main body including an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a bottom portion, the main body defining a cavity, the upper portion comprising external threading and removably coupled to the top cap, and the intermediate portion comprising internal threading and removably coupled to the container; receiving the first substance in the cavity of the compartment cap; receiving the second substance in the container; detaching the compartment cap from the container; detaching the top cap from the compartment cap; pouring the first substance into the container; coupling the top cap to the container; and shaking the container to mix the first substance and the second substance.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of the present disclosure, and should not be viewed as exclusive embodiments. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modifications, alterations, combinations, and equivalents in form and function, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compartment cap of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention, in use with a container;

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention, in use, showing the compartment cap removed from the container;

FIG. 5 is another exploded view of the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The subject disclosure is described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure such that one skilled in the art will be enabled to make and use the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present disclosure may be practiced without some of these specific details.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a compartment cap for use with a container (e.g., a bottle). The cap includes a main body defining a cavity configured to receive a substance (e.g., a liquid or solid material), with an upper portion defining male threading and configured to removably couple to a top cap, and an intermediate portion comprising female threading and being configured to removably couple to the container.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a compartment cap that allows for a safe and separate storage space within the cap to the container. The space within the cap may hold wet and/or dry active ingredients and allows multiple, separate ingredients to be packaged together while remaining physically separated from one another until ready to be released and mixed by the consumer in a desired product. The compartment cap of the present invention differs from other conventional bottle caps because active ingredients are separated in one individual packaging that allows consumers to control the disbursement of the separated ingredients.

In general, the present invention achieves many objectives that make it superior to the prior art. To dispense the separated ingredients, a user disconnects the compartment cap from an anchoring container and pour the contents from cap to container. The compartment cap is an improvement compared to other conventional container caps, for example, because it allows for the user to distribute the separated active ingredients, held inside the cap, in their entirety. The compartment cap also allows for the user to control the amount of ingredient held in the cap to be released. Furthermore, it gives the user the choice to sample the ingredients before releasing them into the anchored container (e.g., a bottle). A hollow space is formed in the center of the cap for the separated ingredients. The compartment cap also has two female threads on each end for it to attach to the anchoring container as well as a top cap.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, a compartment cap 10 is removably couplable to an anchored container 20. The compartment cap is configured to retain a first substance 24 a (which may be a liquid or solid material) and the container 20 is configured to retain a second substance 24 b. The compartment cap 10 generally forms a main body that includes an upper portion 12, gripping flutes 14 (which help to twist the cap 10), an intermediate portion 16, and a bottom portion 18 which constitutes a sump for receiving various substances.

As shown in FIG. 2, the compartment cap 10 is formed with a hollow space (defining a cavity) in a central portion thereof. The cavity is defined at least partially by inner surfaces of the upper portion 12 and the bottom portion 18. This cavity is the region in which the intended substances (such as the first contained substance 24 a) are configured to be held.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the intermediate portion projects outwards and downwardly from the upper portion 12. Referring to FIG. 6, the compartment cap 10 is formed with internal female threading 16 a that screwably couples with external male threading 16 b disposed at a neck portion of the container 20. In use, the neck portion of the container 20 at least partially is disposed in a donut-shaped cavity defined by the intermediate portion 16 and bottom portion 18.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, an outer surface of the upper portion 12 includes external male threading 12 a which screwably couples with inner female threading 12 b of a top cap 22. The top cap 22 completely seals off the compartment cap 10 to ensure that the first contained substance 24 (that is inserted in the cap 10) does not escape from the cap 10 until needed. The external male threading 12 a of the compartment cap 10 and the external male threading 16 b of the container 20 may be substantially identical. Similarly, the internal female threading 12 b of the top cap 22 and the internal female threading 16 a of the compartment cap may be substantially identical. Advantageously, configuring the threading in this manner allows the top cap 10 to also couple with the container 20 (and as described in greater detail below).

While the compartment cap 10 has been herein described using polypropylene or HDPE, it may be formed using various appropriate types of plastic and materials. It will also be appreciated that the threads 12 a, 16 a on the top and bottom of the cap 10 may, in certain embodiments, also be modified such that the compartment cap 10 has two male threads that connect to a female thread on the container 20 and a female thread top cap 20, or any other suitable configuration of the threading. The compartment cap, as previously described, may be formed in any appropriate size depending upon need.

A method of making the present invention may include the following. The compartment cap 10 may be formed from, for example, a polypropylene or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic material and may be molded using an injection mold tooling. It will be appreciated by those with skill in the art that each cap 10 may be manufactured to different desirable sizes, and an exemplary size is approximately 2.5 inches in length and approximately 1.3 inches in width. In certain embodiments, the cap 10 defines a hollow space in a center portion with a depth of approximately 2.5 inches and a width of 1.5 inches. The size and dimension of the present invention may range depending on the manufacturer and intended uses.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in a fully assembled state (such as when it arrives from a manufacturer, distributor, or other retailer). It separately contains a first substance 24 a and a second substance 24 b. Two mix the two substances, the compartment cap 10 is detached from the anchored container 20 (FIG. 4) and the top cap 22 is unscrewed from the compartment cap 10 (FIG. 5). One or more separated substances 24 a held in the cavity of the compartment cap 10 are then poured into the anchored container 20 that contains the second substance 24 b. After pouring the substance(s) 24 a into the container 20, the top cap 22 can then be screwed directly onto the container 20 (because the two items have complementary threading) and all the ingredients/substances 24 a, 24 b are shaken together. Alternatively, only a portion of the first substance 24 a may be mixed with the second substance 24 b, and the top cap 22 may be screwed back onto the compartment cap 10 to seal the leftover first substance 24 a. A manufacturer may use the present invention by adding a desired active ingredient which may be liquid, powder, or a dissolving pellet into the designated compartment in the cap 10, and then secure the compartment cap 10 on the anchored container 20, and then finally adding the top cap 22. Finally, the compartment cap 10 may be shrink wrapped around the top of the container 20 to safely seal the container 20 and its ingredients.

Therefore, the disclosed systems and methods are well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the teachings of the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above may be altered, combined, or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope of the present disclosure. The systems and methods illustratively disclosed herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein and/or any optional element disclosed herein.

While apparatuses and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps, the apparatuses and methods can also “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps. All numbers and ranges disclosed above may vary by some amount. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the elements that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.

Moreover, the use of directional terms such as above, below, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the upward or upper direction being toward the top of the corresponding figure and the downward or lower direction being toward the bottom of the corresponding figure.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, with the terms “and” or “or” to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase “at least one of” allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, and C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A compartment cap for use with a container, the compartment cap comprising: a main body including an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a bottom portion, the main body defining a cavity configured to receive a first substance, the upper portion comprising external threading and configured to removably couple to a top cap, and the intermediate portion comprising internal threading and configured to removably couple to the container.
 2. The compartment cap of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion projects downwardly, with the intermediate portion and the bottom portion defining a cavity therebetween for receiving a neck portion of the container.
 3. The compartment cap of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion is disposed between the upper portion and the bottom portion.
 4. The compartment cap of claim 1, wherein the upper portion and the bottom portion of the main body define the cavity.
 5. A container assembly for mixing a first substance and a second substance, the assembly comprising: a container configured to receive the second substance; a top cap comprising internal threading; and a compartment cap comprising: a main body including an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a bottom portion, the main body defining a cavity configured to receive the first substance, the upper portion comprising external threading and removably coupled to the top cap, and the intermediate portion comprising internal threading and removably coupled to the container.
 6. The container assembly of claim 5, wherein the intermediate portion projects downwardly, with the intermediate portion and the bottom portion defining a cavity therebetween that receives a neck portion of the container.
 7. The container assembly of claim 5, wherein the bottom portion of the compartment cap is configured to at least partially extend into the container.
 8. The container assembly of claim 5, wherein the container comprises external threading, and the internal threading of the top cap is configured to removably couple with the external threading of the container.
 9. The container assembly of claim 8, wherein the external threading of the container is substantially the same as the external threading of the upper portion of the compartment cap.
 10. The container assembly of claim 8, wherein the internal threading of the top cap is substantially the same as the internal threading of the intermediate portion of the compartment cap.
 11. A method of mixing a first substance and a second substance, the method comprising the steps of: providing a container; providing a top cap comprising internal threading; providing a compartment cap comprising: a main body including an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a bottom portion, the main body defining a cavity, the upper portion comprising external threading and removably coupled to the top cap, and the intermediate portion comprising internal threading and removably coupled to the container; receiving the first substance in the cavity of the compartment cap; receiving the second substance in the container; detaching the compartment cap from the container; detaching the top cap from the compartment cap; pouring the first substance into the container; coupling the top cap to the container; and shaking the container to mix the first substance and the second substance. 